


Blue Rose Days

by Cross_eni



Series: The Cardian Saga [1]
Category: Hetalia: Axis Powers
Genre: Cardverse, Cardverse Spades, F/M, M/M, Magic, Royalty, a minor sex scene but I didn't feel like writing it fully, i wrote the damn thing how do i not know, it's a prologue ok this IS the exposition, no exposition so I high key just casually mention shit, ok yeah um, over complicated murder plot, sci-fi fantasy???, seriously would it not be easier to stab a bitch, theres fun stuff but eh, this is kinda like some game of thrones shit
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-08-27
Updated: 2017-08-27
Packaged: 2018-12-20 17:23:28
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Major Character Death
Chapters: 7
Words: 6,520
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11925639
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Cross_eni/pseuds/Cross_eni
Summary: In the Blue Rose Days, there were three. A Strong King, a Dying Queen, and a Vengeful Jack.And in all honesty, this was far too complicated for a murder plot, especially according to karma.(Prologue to War in the Shadows)





	1. Farewell

**Author's Note:**

> Buckle up kiddos

Queen Gwendolyn was dying. 

The King of Spades, Maximus was mourning her by her bedside. She had become one of the countless victims of the plague that was wreaking havoc throughout the kingdom. Lovino and Feliciano, their sons, had fought their father on letting them see their dying mother. Lovino almost challenged his father to a duel, but fortunately Maximus shot down the idea and his son had not ran to the armory to grab two swords. 

“Mama,” little 4-year-old Feliciano cooed as he climbed up on his parents bed, “You’re not going to leave us, are you?” 

“No,” she said weakly, with a tired smile to match. “Mama will always be here, even if...even if not physically,” she said. She reached out to gently caress her son’s face, brushing away the tears that beaded in his eyes. “Mama will protect you, she promises.” 

9-year-old Lovino wiped away his tears determinedly, trying to not cry in front of his mother. He wasn't successful. She reached for her sons, holding them both close and trying to comfort them, even if all her attempts would be futile. 

She knew she was getting weaker, and feared she would not last another night. 

The two boys cuddled close to their mother on either side, just talking to her, trying to take theirs and her minds off of the impending doom of the plague consuming Gwendolyn's body. The family laid there and held each other for hours, knowing it would be the last time they ever would be able to. 

Yao, the Jack came in, nodding to his King and Queen before escorting the boys to bed. He remembered the twos wedding day, how happy Maximus had looked...he wanted Maximus to look at him like that, to be happy and hold him close. Well, hopefully he would soon, even if it was a twisted sense of hope. A twisted sense of hope built on the death of an innocent woman. 

But this was politics, twisted senses of hope existed everywhere. 

He couldn't help it, he thought to himself as he tucked Feliciano into bed (Lovino insisting he could put himself to bed just fine, but Yao assumed this meant Lovino was going to curl up on his bed and cry). He just couldn't help that he had fallen in love with Maximus, and honestly, it couldn't be counted as his fault. 

They had known each other for so long and now it just seemed a bit-unfair, to say the least. That he was never the one Maximus had his eyes on. The man was free to make his own decisions, but that never stopped Yao from wishing Gwendolyn would just drop dead. 

And now, his prayers had been answered. It was lovely and terrible all at once. 

Yao stayed by his King and Queen's side the whole night, until in the early hours of the morning, when it was still dark, the Queen closed her eyes and died. 

Yao instantly went to embrace his King, sobbing from the loss of his wife. Yao ordered some guards to take the Queen’s body downstairs so it could be prepared for the funeral. 

Maximus wiped his eyes, ordering Yao to follow him as they went to the children's residence. Maximus woke up Feliciano gently, Feliciano looking very confused and sleepy until he saw the tear streaks on his father's face. Maximus embraced his younger son, the two of them crying. 

Lovino awoke, confused before he saw them, running over, his face pale and shocked, “Sh-she isn't-she can’t!”

“She is dead, Lovino,” Maximus said, pulling his older son into a hug. “Mama’s dead. She passed away in her sleep, I don't think she was in much pain towards the end...she’ll be okay, remember? She’s going to go to a better place now…” Maximus choked on his sobs towards the end, holding the two close.

Yao embraced the family, trying to comfort them. They cried until dawn arose the next day. 

Yao’s first orders were to plan the funeral, to be held at sundown, Gwendolyn’s favorite time of day. Her family, the House of Kirkland was called. When they arrived, they seemed to still be in disbelief of their kin’s fate, but one look at the body told them everything. The two families were silent, the grief thick in the air. Lovino and Arthur didn't even attempt to bicker once, instead their arms around one another in their shared pain and loss. 

The funeral was a silent affair. The two families, dressed in all black, led the procession, the Queen’s coffin being pulled in a carriage behind them. The streets were lined with the mourning citizens, respectfully laying down blue and black roses in their path, until they got to the edges of town, to the lake. 

By the lake, a building off to the side stood silently, guarded by two lone guards, the torches lit. The Royal Cemetery. The two families descended the stairs to the cooler air below the ground, the room large and grand, just as it should be for royals. Along the side were slots where a royals coffin could be placed in. 

A team of servants gently slid the coffin inside, placing the marble slab to cover it, reading the words elegantly: Queen Gwendolyn Vargas Kirkland, Beloved Wife and Mother. May you find peace on the other side. 

Most of the procession left, save for Maximus and the head of the Kirkland family, Gwendolyn’s brother, Alistair. 

“You could've saved her,” Alistair gritted out, head hung in anger and shame. 

“I said we were working on a cure but it wasn't ready yet,” Maximus retorted, sneering down at him. “It's going to be months, even maybe a year before we can get it working.”

“You could've done something to prevent her from getting it,” Alistair snarled, looking up at him slowly, like a snake getting ready to strike. 

“There was nothing I could've done!” Maximus nearly yelled. “We barely knew how it transferred to her, it makes no sense!” 

“You could've done something, Maximus,” he said. “And you chose not to.” 

“I did everything in my power,” he said through his angry tears, “You will find that being King is not as easy as it looks, Alistair.” 

Maximus walked away, back up the steps and returning to the castle. 

Alistair looked after him, running his fingers over his sister’s name inscribed in the stone. He smirked as a plan conjured up in his mind. “I guess I will find out what it's like to be King, won't I, brother in law?” 

The man chuckled darkly as he ascended the steps and returned to the castle, it wouldn't be too hard to get rid of that family, now would it.


	2. Love Once Again

TWO YEARS LATER...

Maximus swore he would learn to love again, but it was just so difficult to have the woman he loved taken away by something he couldn't prevent, no matter what that blasted Alistair Kirkland insisted on. The man brought it up every damn court meeting, it was getting on his nerves. 

The kingdom had recovered from the plague, or more like found a way to cure it. 25% of the population of the kingdom was a very large portion of people (about 30,000 people died in the plague) and it would take them a while to recover, both population wise and economically. That would not be possible for Maximus in his lifetime, and the thought of leaving it to Lovino and possibly even Lovino's successor was not a pleasant one. 

However, it might just be possible to learn to love again in his lifetime. 

He hadn't expected his wife's death to shake him to his core and make him remember every regret he ever had, but every time he thought of Gwendolyn his throat closed up with hot tears. But he was slowly learning to let her go, and slowly learning to fall in love again.

Yao had been great help the past two years, easily and gracefully stepping into the position of Queen at Maximus’ request. He had also stepped up into the role of Lovino and Feliciano’s mother at no request, but Maximus did appreciate the help he had given him with the boys. He didn't pretend like every smile Yao gave him made his heart race, even more than whenever he had been with his dead wife. 

Yao was outside, in the courtyard where Maximus could see him from his office. He was sitting on the grass with Feliciano, the two of them playing together and Lovino reading on a bench nearby. It was a strange habit he had picked up at the death of his mother.

Maximus smiled down at his family, the three of them very cute together. Oh, had he started considering Yao family? He chuckled to himself, turning back to his paperwork. 

He made a point to seek out Yao later. 

He didn't know how he managed to find him so fast considering the Queen was typically on the other side of the castle. 

“Yao! Hey, Yao,” he called after him. 

The Queen seemed to jump, turning, “Your majesty!” He cried, surprised by the sudden appearance. He hurriedly bowed, nervous.

Maximus laughed as he caught up with him, “No need to be afraid,” he said, chuckling a bit. “It's just, I’ve been thinking.”

“A dangerous pastime.”

“It really is,” he agreed, “But the crown you have belonged to Gwendolyn, and most Spadian queens get their own crowns. I want you to have one of your own.”

Yao blushed, “Your majesty, I am flattered, however-”

“I insist!” Maximus said, “I want something pretty you can call your own.” He smiled brightly down at them other. I don't want anything to remind me of her while I'm with you. 

Yao smiled up at the other, giggling a bit at him. “Alright, if you insist.”

The next day, Maximus presented the gift to Yao, kissing his cheek gently as he placed the crown on his head. It was silver, like the Spadian royal jewels. Strings of sapphires dripped down as if they were a spring rain framing his face. “My lovely Queen,” he muttered, smiling at him as he brushed hair strands and strands of sapphire out of his eyes alike. 

Yao blushed, smiling bashfully. “We’re not married, your highness.” His face was cute in that pale pink shade. 

Maximus chuckled, “We could be,” he blurted out before thinking. His turn to blush now. In these past two years he did seem to have a growing fondness for Yao, and he loved him as he had loved Gwendolyn before. Yao’s eyes shined with tears and his face broke into a large grin.

He had learned to love again after all.


	3. Happier Days

Maximus looked to the Jack, a man named Marzban before to his sons. “Look, I know you're perfectly capable of caring for yourselves, but I still need you two to stay in Marzban’s sight. That means you especially Lovino. You’re going to be the King of Spades one day and it's a lot easier for you to do that alive.” He smiled at him. 

Lovino got a terrible feeling in his gut at that. He always had innate sense of when terrible shit was going to happen. It was probably the anxiety. It was probably nothing.

Probably. 

Maximus ruffled his hair with a gentle smile, “You look like your mother more and more everyday,” he said. “You’ll grow up to be as handsome as she was beautiful.”

Lovino’s lips twitched up. “Mom didn't have dark skin and hair like me. Like you.”

“You may have those features of mine, but your jaw, your eyes, your hands, your stature-those are of your mother.” He smiled. Lovino buried his head into his father's chest, trying to hide his tears and smile. Maximus stroked his hair a bit before he looked to Feliciano and held out his arms to him. 

Feliciano dove into his chest, holding onto him. He wiped his tears away and looking up at him, “I don't want you to go, Papa.”

“I know you don't,” he said, kissing his forehead. “I’ll be back in a few days. I promise. I’m going to Hearts and I’ll come back in one week times.”

Feliciano smiled at him, “But I want to go with you!” 

Maximus shook his head, “No, no. You wouldn't have anything fun to do, and while there is a Prince of Hearts your age, he's very ill. Chronically so but I doubt you'd be able to do anything with him.” 

“I still want to meet him.”

“When you're both older.”

Feliciano pouted and crossed his arms. He looked to Lovino, who was back to reading his book. Feliciano huffed, with no response. He huffed louder, and Lovino looked over at him. “What do you want?” he asked in an annoyed and bored tone. 

“Convince Papa to let me go with him to the Hearts Kingdom.” 

“Go pack your bag and get out of here,” the older brother said, reading his book with a bored look on his face. “I could use a fucking peaceful nap.” He waved his hand nonchalantly. 

The brothers started to bicker and Maximus and Marzban exchanged a nervous look. 

“I do get paid extra for this, right?” Marzban asked. 

“I wish I was,” Maximus sighed. 

“Hey, you did this to yourself buddy,” Marzban said. “You put your dick in Gwendolyn and that means you take responsibility for those kids. I just work here.” 

Maximus sighed again, “While what you say is true, please don’t phrase it like that. I’ll pay you extra for your troubles. I promise.” He patted his Jack’s shoulder, and then wrapping an arm around Yao’s waist, left to the carriage. 

He nodded to the guards respectfully bowing to him, smiling brightly to the press scrambling to snap photos of the royal couple. Yao managed to smile brightly at them, for the first time. He was sure it was because he was elated to finally be the one hanging from Maximus’ arm as his lover. 

The mighty King of Spades helped Yao into the hovercarriage, before getting in himself. He pulled the door down, and climbed into the little bed-like section, pulling Yao to lean against him. “See, I told you I had gotten the best hovercarriage in the kingdom.” 

A small chuckle left Yao’s lips as he laid his head on his lover’s chest. “You did, didn’t you. Did you buy this just for us?”

“I didn’t want anything reminding me of Gwen…” Maximus said. “The love I had for her and the love I have for you is different.” Yao’s face darkened and soured, assuming this meant something bad. “No no no!” Maximus protested, shaking his head and waving his hands. “I didn’t mean anything like I love her more than I loved you. 

“I firmly believe that love has a different taste or flavor to it with every new romance. The way I loved Gwendolyn is not the way I love you. The way I loved Gwendolyn was as if she was a gentle fire who I could accentuate into a blaze. Her love was pure and yet I still felt as if I wanted to corrupt her a little. Just enough where I could accentuate her spark into her flame. She was such a powerful woman and she deserved so much more time to show it.

“And yet I love you like you are a field of flowers, something to be careful with and protect. I wanted nothing more than to confide in you, take your kisses like nectar, and shower you in more beauty and make you into a garden, delicate and beautiful and treasured. Something to be shown off.” 

Yao smiled at him, kissing his cheek. “You’re already my garden. You’re enchanted and beautiful. I’m just an addition to you.” 

“There is no such thing as an addition. You are a lifeline.” 

As the sun set on their day of travel, Yao and Maximus closed their eyes and settled into one another's loving embrace.


	4. Meetings

Yao bowed respectfully to the King of Hearts, Alaric. His Queen had died giving birth to the younger prince, Ludwig. The man seemed colder nowadays due to his loss, but he had also taken it with more grace than the other royals had when their partners succumbed to their own deaths, pale and stone cold as Alaric’s eyes. No one could’ve ever guessed that the King of the Kingdom of Emotions would’ve locked his own away after so long. 

Gilbert, the 16 year old prince of Hearts was nowhere to be seen, most likely caring for his sick younger brother. Servants were awkwardly making excuses for their prince’s disappearance, looking very nervous under the stern King’s ice-like gaze. Yao used to joke that Alaric should’ve been the King of Spades and Maximus the King of Hearts but fate did not work out that way. 

Alaric and Maximus started going off into their own debate, something Yao recognized well from his days as a Jack. He smiled, at least that did not change from before the plague. The only differences he saw was Maximus’ salt and pepper hair that had become more silver than brown and Alaric’s hair was now let down as opposed to it’s ponytail. And it seemed that Alaric had swapped out his ugly furs finally. Or at least hopefully, perhaps he kept it for travelling. That would be incredibly disappointing. 

The quick tea prior with the Royals of the other Kingdoms and Heart’s counsel of 9 was mostly uneventful-at least until the end when the Kings had started to debate politics and trade deals. 

Yao was surprised by how easily Maximus could command himself and sway the other royals to his plans. The man smiled and distracted the others here and then to get the other royals to relax. The trade deal was only changed only slightly as Maximus had expected however it all worked out for Spades. But Yao shouldn’t have been surprised by this at all. 

Maximus was the most handsome man in the realm after all. 

IN THE SPADIAN PALACE…

“Big brother! Fratellone please! I had a nightmare wake up! Don't be dead!” 

Lovino wished he was dead. 

He hadn't been able to sleep very well following the upsetting and fairly traumatic event where his mother died due to a plague he had been convinced was going to kill him too. 

It would've been kinder to kill him. 

Lovino groaned and turned to face his brother. “What, Feliciano?” 

“I had a nightmare and because Nonno’s not here I thought I'd come cuddle with you.” The whining tremor in Feliciano’s voice was evident, he wasn’t lying. He was really upset here. 

“Of course you did,” the older groaned. He lifted his blanket in a gesture for his brother to come and join him. 

Feliciano crawled in with a tired smile, and curled up. “I dreamt that I caught the plague Mama had. I dreamt that I was dying. I died, and you were so upset. I was the last family you had, I wasn't allowed to die.” 

Lovino got that bad feeling in his stomach again. 

He wrapped his arms around his younger brother, “You’re not going to die. Not for a long time. You’ll live well into your 90s if I have any say in the matter.” 

Feliciano smiled at him, wiping away his tears. “I know. But it felt so real, like I was looking into the future.” 

“We can't look into the future. That's not our power,” Lovino said. “Every High Family has a power, and every person only has one. We are Vargas’, we teleport, remember?” 

Feliciano nodded, “But Mama could see the future.” 

“We couldn't have possibly inherited it. Both you and I have already presented teleportation.” He kissed his brother's cheek. “It's only a dream.” 

“But what if we have a weak link?” 

“That's just a rumor. Weak links don't exist.” 

“But-”

“Feli.” 

Feliciano looked up at his older brother, looking a bit sheepish. Lovino gave him a firm look, rubbing his shoulder and holding him close. 

“It was a dream. Now, I haven't slept well in two years, so I'm going to try to.” 

Feliciano bit his lip. “Do you think Nonno and Yao hate us?” 

“What the hell-” 

“Language, fratellone.”

“-makes you think that? They practically over love us.” 

“They left us at home.” 

“The meeting would probably be boring as hell.” 

“Yeah but it would be fun to escape Spades for a while. It's too damn cold. Hearts is on the shore.” 

Lovino shrugged, “Fair point. Now, I'm tired, so let's get some sleep.” 

Feliciano nodded, and watched his brother close his eyes and fall asleep again. 

He tried to shrug off the anxiety, but it was more difficult than he would've liked. 

IN THE KIRKLAND HOME…

 

“Pierre, I thank you for coming at such a late hour,” Alistair bowed as he opened the door to the 8th counsel member. 

Pierre gave him a dazzling smile. “Your message was urgent, so I made haste. If we can inspect the palace without Maximus and Yao breathing down our throats will be easier to enact the plan.”

“We only have 7 more years until Lovino’s training will be complete, and therefore if we kill Maximus after he will have the ability to lock us in the dungeon. Marzban has told me that the elder prince is quite the creative and sadistic punisher.”

“Pray tell,” Pierre clutched his chest a bit. “What is his worst?”

“He cut a thief’s hands and feet off and strung the man by his neck with chains,” Alistair shuddered. “He watched the whole time, writing in his little book. His little brother seemed to enjoy it as well.”

“Should we kill them as well?” Pierre asked. 

“It’s illegal. We won’t be able to put Francis and Arthur in the position of King and Queen of Spades. We should just exile the brats, and Yao. I fear he has become too attached to Maximus, but he always said given the chance he would become Maximus’ whore. We will climb up the rankings and never have to worry about our families or more importantly our kingdom suffering at the hands of the dreaded Vargas’.”

Pierre smirked as he held out a wine glass to a servant, swirling the dark liquid in his glass. He sipped on it, smirking at Alistair over the rim of his crystal glass. “We will free this world of those teleporting bastards. They’re cowards who flee from their fights.”

Alistair chuckled, “Indeed they are, my friend. Indeed they are.”


	5. Beginning of the End

6 YEARS LATER...

Yao’s eyes flittered open awoke, smiling at his lover. “Good morning.”

Maximus caressed his cheek, “Buongiorno mio amore.”

Yao cuddled in closer to him and tucked his head under Maximus’ chin. “Can we just stay like this forever?”

“I want to. I feel so warm and lazy I don’t feel like getting up right now. I’m the King I can do what I want. Let Lovino run the Kingdom for a day.”

“He’s just going to text that boyfriend of his from Diamonds. And don’t do that you and I both know he’ll freak out and get nothing done, no matter how much he smiles and nods.” 

“True,” Maximus said. “No matter how much he denies it they’re dating.” 

Yao chuckled. “We have to solidify our alliance with them anyways.”

A few more hours passed and the sun rose up into the sky, the sunlight pouring into the room and over their naked forms. Maximus traced Yao’s sides and arms, all his muscles, as if he was a blind man trying to picture what he looked like. 

A servant knocked on the door to fetch them for breakfast. 

And thus the day started like every other one. At breakfast, 12-year-old Feliciano teased 17-year-old Lovino about his boyfriend-whom they didn’t know the identity of, just that he was from Diamonds and he was 19 years of age. Lovino tried to hide his phone under the table so that it didn’t look like he was texting anyone. 

Then Maximus and Lovino worked all day on one issue or another (Lovino thankfully only going into a long rant about how stupid the kingdoms functions were just once), and Yao worked on his paperwork and watched over Feliciano, who had blossomed into a talented artist. And a sassmaster, but that was common for someone his age. 

Life was good and easy, and was especially fun when at night Maximus would teleport back into their room and kiss Yao on his cheek. He giggled in surprise, and Maximus placed his hands on his lovers hips. “You’re always surprised when I do this, it’s strange. I thought you would’ve gotten used to me teleporting by now, we’ve known each other for what? 30 years?”

“Yes, but to be fair for the majority of those 30 years we weren’t dating and you also weren’t teleporting to scare me.” 

“I’m not trying to scare you!” Maximus protested. “It’s just cute to use your powers to shower your lover with affection!” He smiled and kissed his cheek, before teleporting to the bed and kissing Yao. Yao kissed back, starting to unbutton Maximus’ coat and slide it off his shoulders. 

“Impatient much?” Maximus smirked into the kiss, rubbing his lover’s back. 

 

“Maybe,” Yao said. “It’s been a week, and I’m rather surprised we lasted that long.”

The King chuckled and kissed Yao’s neck, “It’s a new record!” he smiled. “I’m so proud of us!” 

Yao burst into laughter, the two of them giggling and smiling and kissing. Love surrounded them, and the duo slowly, gently started to make it. Yao was almost at his peak, clutching onto his husband for dear life until a guard burst into the room. 

“Williams! Do you not know how to knock?” 

“My apologies, sire,” Knight Williams said. He looked panicked, panting heavily. 

“Edward, what is it?” Yao asked in concern, detaching himself from his lover. He covered himself in a robe and cautiously approached the man. 

Edward panted, catching his breath, “Duke Kirkland of the Queenly Family,” he panted again, “And Marquis Bonnefoy of the 8th Family. They’re taking over the castle. They’ve swayed Madame Jones to their side, my own wife, has turned her back on the kingdom and it’s most glorious rulers.”

Maximus quickly sprang up, running lightning fast into a closet and pulling on his pants and a shirt, and running to the armor. “We have no time to waste, I knew those two were up to something.” 

“Sire! We must leave,” with a panicked look over his shoulder, he waved the King and Queen over to himself. “No time for weaponry and armor!” Edward looked over his shoulder again. 

Whipping around to look at Edward, Maximus snarled. “I have to defend the palace and the other High Counsel members!” 

“Sire,” Edward’s voice drooped off in sadness. “I’m sorry, but it seems that the entire Counsel of Nine has known about this. They’ve taken Feliciano and Lovino prisoner in the dungeon, and they have a Limiter bracelet on them both.”

“They WHAT?!”

IN THE DUNGEONS…

Trying to summon a power with a Limiter was hard. Feliciano willed himself to get past the bracelet, but it wasn’t working. He whined loudly, and his older brother hit him over the head with a gruff “Shut up!” 

Feliciano’s amber eyes watched Lovino pace back and forth, and trying to press on the materialized barrier, seeing if his royal blood would get them through. “Alistair must’ve removed our signatures from the system.” 

“Can you get them back online?”

“Nonno would have to do that,” Lovino sighed. “Sorry about that.”

“What about your boyfriend? Isn’t he the King of Diamonds?”

“Not until he’s 21.” Lovino sighed. “I don’t know if he can convince his father to help us. And, added bonus,” he threw up his empty hands, “I don’t have my phone!” He kicked the wall, “You can’t keep us in here!” he cried. “I am the Heir to the throne of Spades! I will have you tortured and executed for your crimes!” 

Feliciano sighed and wrapped his arms around his legs. “We’re not going to get out of here,” he felt his eyes well up. “We’re going to die.” 

A warm blanket covered the smaller one. Feliciano looked up at his brother, who had taken off his coat and wrapped it around him with a small rare smile. “We’ll be fine. It’s going to be okay. I promise.” He kissed Feliciano’s forehead, “I will protect you, no matter what.” 

A small twitch of Feliciano’s lips was all he got in return. 

The two touched their foreheads together, before jumping back as the materialized barrier went down and their Nonno, Yao, and Edward were pushed inside. “Young Lords! My apologies,” Edward bowed his head. 

“I ordered you to take them away, Williams!” Lovino snarled. Edward bowed his head lower, “I told you to take them to another kingdom to gain allies to fight back!”

“You’re such a smart child,” Yao said wistfully. “Shame it didn’t work out.” 

Lovino smiled tightly. “Shame.” 

Three hours passed before the barrier went down again, Alistair and Pierre smirking down at the family and ace. 

“Well well well. This worked out as I had hoped,” Alistair said languidly. 

 

Snarling at him, Maximus rose to his feet, “Alistair!” He stalked towards him, “What is the meaning of this?” 

Alistair circled the king, “Simple. It’s a coup. I don’t want to hear any silly excuses for how you’re failing your kingdom but you’re trying your best. Your kingdom is no longer yours. It’s mine now. It belongs to your people, and I will free them from your dictatorial grasp.” 

“I’m sure we can work this out.” Maximus almost looked desperate as he spoke, backing up and spreading his arms to shield his family. 

“No, it’s too late,” Pierre said, pulling out the laser gun. “You have turned your back on your people. Now, I suggest you come quietly with us and this might not be incredibly painful for us all.” 

Suspiciously raising an eyebrow, Maximus questioned, “What do you mean by that?” 

With matching malicious grins, Alistair and Pierre said, “It's time to die.”


	6. Split

The way the family's faces paled was just so...satisfying to watch. The desolate hopelessness, the tears starting to bead and trail down Feliciano's face. He was clearly on the verge of panicking, so Lovino bent down to hold his brother and whispered soothing words to him. 

Yao collapsed onto Maximus’ shoulder, staring at the ground in shock. “You...no…” 

“I control the government now,” Alistair grinned. “The Counsel is loyal to me.” He gestured to the guards, one coming to each member of the ex-Royal family and grabbing them by the arms. Roughly being seized to their feet, Feliciano started screaming and crying, trying to fight the stronger guard. 

“Nonno! Fratellone! Mama!” The guard covered the youngest’s mouth and dragged him. 

Maximus put his free arm around Yao, and Yao cuddled into his embrace. “This is the end,” the Queen whispered. 

“It's been a beautiful story, my enchanted garden,” Maximus whispered back. A tiny peck was placed on his cheek, Maximus smiling lovingly at his Yao.

They were lead to the courtyard in front of the castle, where a guillotine was set up in front of a large cheering crowd. Feliciano panicked and ran to his brother, screaming and crying and shaking his head, and Lovino bending down to hold his brother close. 

Watching with a disdainful scrunch of his nose, Alistair ordered some servants to set up the guillotine. 

“No no no! Please no I don't want to die! Nonno! Do something!” Feliciano cried. 

Maximus turned to Alistair, who nodded. Maximus bent to his son, kissing his forehead gently. “No worries, little one. We’ll be with your mother again,” he smiled, tears starting to fall down his face, “Besides it’s nicer to end now and not having to worry about doing any adult things.” 

The young prince nodded to him, “Yes Nonno,” he hiccuped through his tears.

“Sire, it's time,” a servant tapped Maximus’ shoulder, giving him an apologetic look. Maximus nodded, kissing Yao, kissing Feliciano on the forehead, and hugging Lovino close. “I love you, my family.” His eyes beaded with tears as he walked to the center of the platform as if he was going to give a speech. 

“My Kingdom,” he said, “I wish desperately for there to be another way to appease you. I do not wish for my family to be harmed, please honor my wish and instead exile them instead of cutting their lives short. I will gladly die if you do this,” he turned to Alistair, who sighed. 

“I will honor your wish and exile your family to the far corners of our continent. I will banish Feliciano to Hearts, Lovino to Diamonds, and Yao to Clubs. Do you agree to this?”

A solemn but clear nod was his answer. 

“Wonderful. Now come and meet your fate and the lovely mistress death.” 

The ex King carried himself like he was not on his way to being sentenced to die, as if he was still a King on the way to his throne. He wanted to save his family, and that was the greatest honor he could be bestowed. 

Sticking his head into the hole, he closed his eyes and listened. Listened and listened. 

Alistair smirked and circled the dishonored King. “This will bring me great pleasure. You could not save Gwendolyn, and now no one is here to save you.” 

Maximus cracked one eye open, and smirked at him. “Gwendolyn always said one man’s death would lead to another.” 

“I’ll keep that in mind, you old moronic loon.”

Maximus smirked, winking and closing his eyes again before the guillotine was released and sliced through his neck. 

A high-pitched wail cut through the roaring cheer of the crowd, Yao falling to his knees and clutching his chest. Feliciano was crying and holding onto his brother, and Lovino had gone pale white with shock, his face drained of all color. 

Whipping around, Alistair smirked, and Feliciano swore that the man’s teeth were sharp like needles. 

“And now, it’s time to send you away,” Alistair said, “Feliciano to Hearts, to rip his own out. Lovino to Diamonds, to cry from how loose the laws are. And Yao to Clubs, to die.” 

The trio was whisked away back inside to gather a small bag of their stuff. Feliciano carried his sketchbook as he hoisted the bag over his shoulder, and went into his brothers room to watch Lovino try to stuff his bag with several books and journals and an extra set of clothes. He threw on a cloak, and looked up at Feliciano. 

“Feli!” he ran over, holding him close. “It’s gonna be okay. Go to the palace, the Beilschmidts will know who you are. They’re going to take off the Limiter, and we can teleport to the castles. I’m going to find Antonio and try to get an army. I will have revenge for Nonno’s death.”

“Fratellone,” he looked looking up at him, “We don’t need to avenge him. He died willingly.”

“Only if we would be spared,” Lovino said with a hard tone in his voice and a hard set in his jaw. “He and I had talked about this before, he had suspicions of Alistair but he never acted upon them. He told me if anything were to happen to him because of Alistair, and I survived, I was to enact his revenge. You just wait in Hearts while I reclaim my crown and birthright.”

“And if you die?”

“Then it will be your turn.”

 

The younger nodded solemnly. The two brothers grabbed their bag and walked down to the main hall, Lovino throwing Arthur a glare and dragging his finger across his neck. Arthur smiled rather sarcastically and waved, saying, “Ta-ta! Your crown is mine now!”

“We shall see about that now won’t we?” Lovino asked.   
They were led to three separate hovercarriages, and they weren’t nearly as nice as the other ones that the family had rode in before, they were commoner’s hovercarriages, which was rather...disrespectful to the three. Pierre entered the code to their Limiters and pulled them off, before the three were ushered inside the hovercarriages, and away into whatever their fate held for them next.


	7. The Conspiracy

The rather unfortunate turn of events you just read was actually all karma’s way of divinely punishing one Yao Wang for the murder of Queen Gwendolyn of Spades. I understand, dear reader, that you may be confused by my accusations, but if you just listen to the story before, perhaps you will find the true reason behind her young death. 

It all started a year before this story, in 435 N.C.E. 

Yao had been searching for many weeks for a way to kill his hated Queen but make it look as if it wasn’t a murder. The only way he could find a truly blameless way would be to go to Spade’s Royal Library, in a section that was kept under lock and key. 

The Joker’s Magic. 

To prevent more of the once humans turned terrible beasts coming into existence and terrorizing the Kingdoms, Spades had purged the world of them all and locked their records into a separate and secret section of the library. Yao figured that since it had been so long since the Jokers had been around, no one would notice if he used a spell. 

The library was deathly quiet, as it always was at his hour. Perfect. However, something was out of place. The secret section was already open. 

Yao opened the door, and looked at the young Prince of Hearts, Gilbert. The boy was tall and gangly, strange for a 13 year old. He was surrounded by books, and he jumped in surprise, “Jack Wang! What are…” he swallowed, “What are you doing here?” He smiled nervously. 

A reassuring smile crossed his face, rubbing the younger boy’s shoulder. “The same thing you are. Looking for Joker spells,” he walked over to the shelves and scanning. “What are you looking for?”

“I need to get life energy from people by killing them to cure my brother. Ludwig’s getting worse. The doctors say it will be only a few months more before he dies. I need a miracle.” 

Yao nodded, and examined the book. “I do think we’ve found something that would work for us both. You magically set a plague upon the Spades kingdom and take the energy from the citizens who die. Then I will infect the Queen and kill her to seal the deal.”

“Why the Queen?”

“She’s in the way of me and Maximus, of course,” Yao said. “With her out of the way, he will be free to love me.”

“What do you mean by that?”

Yao held the boy close and smiled, “We’ll both get what we want, we’ll both get what we want.”


End file.
